Prince of the Palisades

I've got a fondness for brain-smoothing frothy royal romances, and I think this one strikes a good balance between being silly & sweet + also acknowledging that life for a queer Black royal would not be quite the same as it would be for a cishet white royal. Also, I always think that for ~royal romance stories~ it's a better move to make them the royalty of a fictional country than to try to incorporate any real-life monarchy and all its baggage. I hope that Reverie and Genovia have cordial diplomatic relations.

My first ever Julian Winters books, and definitely not my last! 

Thank you PenguinTeen for the arc copy! 

Jadon is a Sad Prince because, although he is incredibly wealthy and pampered, he has to honor the royal traditions of Reverie, his French-African island nation. That includes not speaking his mind every time he is angry about some perceived injustice. After dressing down the country's Prime Minister (and letting it be recorded), he is banished to a hovel...er, actually a mansion in Santa Monica, California. His older sister Annika, the heir to the throne, accompanies him to assist in the rehabilitation of Jadon's image.

At his new high school, a cute boy with pink hair catches Jadon's eye, but Reiss Hayes is not impressed by “His Royal Arrogance.” Jadon's haughtiness is a cover for loneliness and insecurity, and once he drops the attitude, he and Reiss start making heart eyes at each other. But the new couple have to keep their relationship a secret, and Jadon's ex-boyfriend has just appeared in Santa Monica, allegedly to help Jadon. Although Jadon is really into Reiss, his ultimate goal is to return to Reverie. Can their relationship survive conniving exes and potential long distance? Can Prince Jadon find a way to be suitably royal without sacrificing himself?

This was a predictable but enjoyable YA novel that distinguishes itself by having a Black, queer royal as the MC and taking place in an environment where neither of those things are a big deal. There are a lot of secondary characters, notably Jadon's new friends who are only mildly impressed by his title, and at times I lost track of who was who. I wish Winters had gone for quality over quantity; Annika alone deserves her own book, as does Jadon's Poor Little Rich Girl friend, Grace.

The story's narration is first person from Jadon's POV, so we only see Reiss through his eyes. The pink-haired boy with no tolerance for bullshit is an aspiring filmmaker and sneakerhead who is inexperienced sexually and part of a warm, loving family. He needed a little more depth to come fully alive, but he wasn't one-dimensional. Winters nicely sidesteps a potential Big Misunderstanding between the boys when Jadon's ex shows up, although being honest with Reiss doesn't solve all of their problems.

I caught several Easter Eggs including references to [a:Jonny Garza Villa|20244297|Jonny Garza Villa|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] and [b:Red, White & Royal Blue|41150487|Red, White & Royal Blue|Casey McQuiston|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1566742512l/41150487._SY75_.jpg|61657690], and I'm sure I missed many others. Honestly, I need to read fewer YA novels and more adult fare, but it's hard to stay away from stories like this one that are so optimistic about life's possibilities.

ARC received from publisher and Net Galley in exchange for objective review.